The invention relates to an incontinence article in pants form for absorbing bodily excretions.
Incontinence articles in pants form principally differ from openable and closable incontinence articles in conventional diaper form, in that the waist circumference is already predetermined by the pant form, and the adjustment to different body sizes based on a number of basic sizes is achieved in that the article can be elastically stretched. For this, elastifying means, in particular the form of bands or threads, often also referred to as Lycra—bands are usually connected in pre-tensioned state (Stretch-Bond method) to chassis materials of the incontinence article i.e., they are fixed in a pre-tensioned state on the chassis materials for example by means of glue. Due to their pre-tension, these elastifying means bundle chassis materials together, thereby forming plications, which typically extend transverse to the direction in which the elastifying means are pre-tensioned, i.e. in this case in longitudinal direction of the article. The incontinence article or the elastified chassis materials of the incontinence article can then be elastically stretched again when the user puts on the incontinence article like a pant.
For non-detachably connecting the stomach section or the back section with the crotch section in the respective overlapping region, a full-surface joining, in particular gluing, or a joining over less than the entire surface can be selected. In known hygiene articles, often times in order to join large surface regions, adhesive is applied over the entire surface, or adhesive is applied in spiral form essentially over the entire surface through nozzles. There are also hygiene articles, however in which a different approach is taken; thus US 2004/0116886 A1 for example teaches not to joint large surface areas of the respective overlapping region; This is intended to retain freedom of shape and flexibility of the components in the overlapping, and not to be influenced negatively by a joint.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,250,549 teaches to provide respective areas with different adhesive properties in the respective front or rear overlapping region. A waist-averted region i.e., a region facing the center of the crotch section and extending in transverse direction is to have a greater mass per area of the adhesive than a region which is located waist-side relative to this region. The regions can be coated with adhesive over their entire surfaces or linearly, spirally or punctiform.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,591,810 B2 teaches to connect the crotch section and the stomach section or the crotch section and the back section only very partially to one another.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide an incontinence article with improved connection between the three components, i.e., the connection of crotch section and stomach section in the front overlapping region and of crotch section and back section in the rear overlapping region, which is optimized with regard to the specific type of three-component incontinence article in pant form and with regard to the here occurring stresses during use is achieved.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an incontinence article in pant form for absorbing bodily excretions, includes a stomach section; a back section, spaced apart from the stomach section in a longitudinal direction of the incontinence article along a longitudinal center axis, wherein the stomach section and back section have respective lateral seam regions and are joined at the respective lateral seam regions to form respective lateral seams extending in the longitudinal direction thereby forming a stomach- and back band which is continuous in a transverse direction of the incontinence article, and has a circumferentially closed waist opening; a crotch section having an absorption body and extending in the longitudinal direction between the stomach section and the back section, wherein the crotch section overlaps with the stomach section and the back section in respective overlapping regions and is non-detachably connected to the stomach section and to the back section in the respective overlapping regions, wherein the stomach section, back section and crotch section together delimit leg openings of the incontinence article, wherein the stomach and back section has respective crotch-side regions facing the leg openings; first elastifying means extending in spaced apart and parallel relationship to one another in the transverse direction in the stomach section and back section, thereby two-dimensionally elastifying the stomach section and the back section; and second elastifying means extending in the respective crotch-side regions of the stomach and back sections, from the respective lateral seam regions towards the longitudinal center axis into the respective overlapping regions in an arched course with increasing distance to one another, wherein the crotch section is none-detachably connected to the stomach section and to the back section with plural adhesive strips provided in the respective overlapping regions, wherein the plural adhesive strips extend in parallel relationship to one another in the transverse direction of the incontinence article and are separated from each other by adhesive-free strips, wherein the adhesive strips occupy essentially the entire respective overlapping regions, and wherein a width at least of those ones of the adhesive strips, that are located inwardly of other ones of the adhesive strips that are located at a border side of the respective overlapping region, is transverse to their extend 1 mm to at most 5 mm, and wherein a width of the adhesive-free strips transverse to their extent is at least 1 mm to at most 15 mm.
According to the invention it was discovered that in case of such a non detachable joining of the components, the amount of the adhesive materials required therefore can be reduced compared to an application of adhesive over the entire surface or a spiral shaped application of adhesive without resulting in disadvantages. It was further found that when using multiple adhesive strips that extend in transverse direction, the forces that typically occur during use of the hygiene article I longitudinal direction, which forces are introduced in the overlapping region or are transmitted via the overlapping region from the crotch section into the stomach section or into the back section, can be likewise well absorbed when the multiple adhesive strips essentially extend over the entire extent of the respective overlapping region. This does not mean however, that the adhesive strictly has to extend up to the respective geometric border of the overlapping region; rather, it is preferred, that the adhesive retains a defined distance to the geometric border of the overlapping region in the range of one or a few millimeters, in order to avoid that the adhesive leaks from the overlapping region and contaminates the manufacturing device or becomes visible on the finished product. It is further advantageous, that the multiple adhesive strips extend in the transverse direction i.e., especially with regard to the fact that forces of the soaked absorption body due to gravity typically act in the longitudinal direction i.e., transverse to the extent of the adhesive strips. These forces, due to the transverse extent of the adhesive strips, can even be transmitted better and more evenly across the respective overlapping region into the waist-circumferential direction of the stomach section and to the back section or respectively, be absorbed by the stomach section and the back section. This also leads to a minor contracting or bundling up of the overlapping region in transverse direction, i.e., it results to a minor degree in interfering pleatings which then would extend in longitudinal direction. According to the invention, it was found that applying adhesive in a manner according to the invention enables to counteract an excessive pleat formation or tufting which is facilitated or tends to be caused by the first elastifying means and as the case may be the second elastifying means.
It was further found that applying adhesive according to the invention in form of multiple adhesive strips that extend in transverse direction in conjunction with the mostly nonwoven-based or nonwoven-containing materials or composite materials of the stomach section and the back section and as the case may be also of the crotch section, is suited to form a visually and/or tactilely perceivable structure on the outer visible side of the overlapping region which structure harmonizes with or corresponds to the optically and/or tactilely perceivable course of the elastifying means in the respective overlapping region. In this way, the course of the elastifying means in the overlapping region, where these elastifying means are often deactivated, can be concealed such that they can no longer be distinguished from the adhesive structure resulting form the adhesive, which is esthetically pleasing.
The multiple adhesive strips, which extend essentially over the entire respective overlapping region, are typically applied by a so-called contact application, preferably by using template techniques. For this, adhesive application devices known per se can be used, for example the TrueCoat™ system of the company Nordson Deutschland from Erkrath, Germany. The TrueCoat™ system is a slot nozzle surface application device, wherein the slot nozzle application heads are configurable and thus enable a continuous or intermittent application of adhesive. The application of the adhesive by using a sheet metal with strip-shaped recesses is also possible. Advantageously, the adhesive is applied in machine direction of the material tracks that form the stomach section and the back section, i.e., with adhesive strips extending in machine direction, so that the multiple adhesive strips—as mentioned multiple times—extend in the finished product essentially transverse to the longitudinal direction, i.e., in transverse- or waist-circumferential direction.
It is further advantageous when the adhesive is applied in the machine direction in a pulsed manner, i.e., glue is actually only applied in the already mentioned overlapping regions between crotch section and stomach section or between crotch section and back section.
It is further advantageous, when the width of adhesive strips transverse to their extent is at least 1 mm to at most 5 mm, in particular at most 4 mm and further in particular at most 3 mm and preferably 2 mm.
The width of the adhesive-free strips transverse to their extent is advantageously at least 1 mm to at most 15 mm, in particular to at most 10 mm, in particular two at most 5 mm and further in particular to at most 3 mm.
As mentioned before, it is conceivable that in the respective overlapping region, i.e., the rear and/or the front overlapping region, a wider adhesive strip can be provided border-side. This means, that in a border region of the overlapping region, which in longitudinal direction is waist-side, and/or in a border region of the overlapping region which in longitudinal direction faces away from the waist a wider adhesive strip, which extends in transverse direction can be provided. This waist-side border region or waist-averted border region of the overlapping region covers respectively at the most 20%, in particular at most 18%, in particular at most 15%, in particular at most 12%, in particular at most 10%, of the longitudinal extent of the respective front or rear overlapping region. The multiple narrow adhesive strips, which extend in transverse direction, are then provided between these border regions. The width of the mentioned border-side adhesive strips transverse to their extent is at least 5 mm, in particular at least 8 mm, in particular at least 12 mm, particular at most 20 mm, in particular at most 16 mm, in particular at most 14 mm. in case, a wider adhesive strip is provided in the overlapping region on only one border, it is advantageous when this wider adhesive strip is provided at the waist distal border region of the overlapping region, in order to achieve a stable joining at this location which prevents tearing-in.
It is particularly advantageous when the ratio between the width of adhesive strips and the width of immediately neighboring adhesive-free strips is 0.2-3.0, in particular 0.2-2.0, in particular 0.2 to 1.5, in particular 0.2-1.0, in particular 0.4-0.8, in particular 0.5-0.7. Thus, a finely and evenly distributed sucession of adhesive strips and adhesive-free strips is advantageously provided, which enables and even distribution in the joining region and associated therewith a joining stability in the overlapping region and at the same time even distribution of a possible stiffening due to the adhesive strips.
Also with regard to a possible even and/or tactilely recognizable configuration or structuring as a result of the multiple adhesive strips, it is advantageous when at least those adhesive strips which are located inwardly relative to optional border-side adhesive strips, i.e., in longitudinal direction between border-side adhesive strips, have the same width.
It is further advantageous when the width of the respective adhesive-free strips is the same.
Regardless of the specific configuration or arrangement of the multiple adhesive strips, it is advantageous when the entire surface of the adhesive strips relative to the surface of the overlapping region of the crotch section and the stomach section or of crotch section and back section is 35-60%, in particular 40-55% and further in particular 40-50%.
It is further advantageous, when the mass per area of the adhesive coating in the adhesive strips is 2-20 g/m2, in particular 2-15 g/m2, in particular 2-10 g/m2, in particular 5-10 g/m2, wherein the mass per area in all adhesive strips is preferably the same.
In order to achieve an even transmission of forces resulting from the liquid which was absorbed during use of the hygiene article by the absorption body, into the stomach—and back band which is formed by the stomach section and the back section and is continuous in transverse- or waist-circumferential direction, it is advantageous when the surface of the overlapping region of the crotch section and back section is at least 12%, in particular 15-40%, in particular 15-35%, in particular 15-30%, in particular 20-30%, in particular 22-30% of the surface of the stomach section. It is further advantageous that the surface of the overlapping region of the crotch section and back section is at least 20%, in particular 20-45%, in particular 20-40%, in particular 22-40%, in particular 25-40%, in particular 28-40% of the surface of the back section.
According to another advantageous feature of the invention the overlapping region of crotch section and stomach section and/or in the overlapping region of crotch section and back section 2 outer, border-side adhesive strips, i.e., a waist distal and a waist proximal border-side adhesive strip and in longitudinal direction between these, multiple inwardly located adhesive strips are provided, wherein the width of the border-side adhesive strips is greater than the width of the inwardly located adhesive strips, and is in particular at least four times, in particular at least five times, and further in particular at most eight times, in particular at most seven times the width of the inwardly located adhesive strips. It is also conceivable, that on a respective waist-side or waist-averted border region of the respective overlapping region, multiple wider border-side adhesive strips are provided, so long as the border region does not exceed the previously explained dimensions in the longitudinal direction.
According to another advantageous feature of the invention, at least 8, in particular at least 10 adhesive strips are provided in the overlapping region of stomach section and crotch section, and in the overlapping region of the back section and crotch section, at least 15, in particular at least 18 and further in particular at least 20 adhesive strips are provided.
According to another advantageous feature of the invention, the first and/or the second elastifying means in the overlapping region of crotch section and stomach section and in the overlapping region of crotch section and back section extend parallel to the adhesive strips. Typically, the elastifying means are introduced so that they extend endlessly in transverse- or waist-circumferential direction i.e., in the machine direction of the flat material tracks of the future stomach section and back section. Thus, they extend at least initially continuously over the entire transverse extent of the incontinence article. In this way, the elastifying means typically traverse the absorption body underneath in the respective front or rear overlapping region of the crotch section and the stomach section or of cross-section and back section so that the absorption body of the crotch section comes to lie above the elastifying means. In this case, it is particularly expedient when the elastifying means no longer have their eastifying effect, at least where they traverse the absorption body underneath; for this purpose, they can be cut, in particular multiple times, in this region along their transverse extent or can be de-elastified by other means for example by ultrasound. Nevertheless, the course of the originally introduced elastifying means as well as the elastifying means which have been deactivated or de-elastified in the respective overlapping region, can be recognized from outside the incontinence article. A particular advantage of the invention is that this can be concealed by providing multiple narrow adhesive strips as mentioned before.
The previously mentioned arch-shaped fanning-out can preferably be configured so that a distance of the second elastifying means to each other in a respective lateral seam region is 3 two 8 mm, and further inwardly in the direction towards the longitudinal center axis in the region of a border of the absorption body is between about 7 and 35 mm, in particular between 12 and 30 mm. Advantageously, the second elastifying means extend in the overlapping region at least in the region of the longitudinal center axis in transverse direction and preferably also parallel to one another.
This fanning-out of the second elastifying means can also be quantitatively described in more detail. For example, the second elastifying means of the back section shown in FIG. 1 have a minimal distance of 3 to 8 mm to each other (distance between immediately neighboring elastifying means) and at a border of an absorption body or a longitudinal border of the crotch section have a maximal distance to one another (distance between immediately neighboring elastifying means) of 7 to 35 mm. A degree F. of the fanning-out can be defined as follows:F=(A−B)/B*100%.
This fanning-out degree advantageously is between 50 and 900%, in particular between 100 and 700%, and further in particular between 150 to 550%. Advantageously, it is greater in the back section than in the stomach section. The variables A and B are defined as the distance of the in longitudinal direction outermost second elastifying means to the in longitudinal direction innermost second elastifying means (i.e., not the distance between immediately neighboring elastifying means), i.e. A as the maximal distance, in particular at the longitudinal border of the crotch section, and B as the minimal distance, in particular in the lateral seam region.
Preferably, thread-shaped or band-shaped elastifying means such as rubber threads, polyetherpolyurethane threads or polyesterolyurethane threads, preferably elastic threads such as Lycra®—or Spandex® threads are used as first and/or second elastifying means. The first elastifying means preferably have a thread length of 40-1500 dtex, in particular 500-1400 dtex, in particular 800-1400 dtex, in particular 1000-1400 dtex, further in particular 1100-1400 dtex. The second elastifying means preferably have a thread Strength of 500-1000 dtex, in particular of 600-1000 dtex, further in particular 700-900 dtex.
The thread strength of the elastifying means is expressed in the unit dtex (1 dtex=1 g/10,000 m). The thread strength is determined according to the testing guidelines BISFA, the International Bureau for the Standardization of man-made Fibres, Test methods for bare elastane yarns, edition 1998, chapter 5: “Determination of linear density”. The thread strength or linear density is determined by determining the mass of a test specimen having a known thread length of 1,000 mm (cut under a standard pre-tension of 0.1+/−0.01 mN/dtex) after a conditioning under standard conditions (23° C.+/−2° C., 50%+/−5% relative humidity) in the relaxed state.
The thread strength (in dtex) is calculated from the quotient of the mass (in g) divided by the length of the section (in m) multiplied by the factor 10,000.
For this, five sections of the thread-shaped or band-shaped elastifying means having a length of 1,300 mm are cut off from the role or package under a tension that is as small as possible, namely in uneven distances of at least 2 m. These five sections are relaxed so as to be tension-less and are let rest under standard conditions for at least four hours. Then, a test specimen of 1,000 mm+/−1 mm is cut off from the respective 1,300 mm long section, while the section is maintained under a pretension of 0.1 mN/dtex. The cut off test specimens of 1,000 mm length are weighed to an accuracy of +/−1% of their expected mass. For each testing specimen, its thread strength is obtained by multiplying the respective mass with the factor 10,000 in dtex. From the five testing specimen, the arithmetic mean value is calculated which is used as thread strength for the purposes discussed here.
The first and/or second elastifying means are preferably fixed on the chassis forming sheath materials of the stomach section and the back section (Stretch-Bond-Method) under a pre-tension of 2.5-6.0. The pre-tension is defined as the degree of stretching of a stretched elastifying means relative to the unstretched/relaxed original state of the elastifying means in the state of the application and fixing of the elastifying means in the manufacturing machine. The degree of stretching is thus calculated as the ratio of the stretched length L′ (=initial length L+ΔL) to the initial length L, i.e., L′/L. The first elastifying means are preferably fixed under a pre-tension of 4.0-6.0, in particular of 4.5-5.5, wherein their pre-tension is preferably greater then the pre-tension of the second elastifying means. The second elastifying means are preferably fixed under a pre-tension of preferably 2.5-5.0, in particular of 3.0-4.5.
The first and second elastifying means can be fixed on the chassis forming sheath materials of the stomach section and back section in different ways. Elastifying means that extend parallel to the transverse or waist-circumferential direction, such as for example the first elastifing means, are preferably fixed single-strand adhesive application. Single-strand adhesive application means that the topside of the individual elastifying means is first covered with adhesive and is then supplied to the lamination between two chassis material layers. A further possibility to fix elastifying means is to embed the elastifing means in a glue bed between two chassis material layers, wherein at least one layer has regions, which are provided with adhesive over their entire surface. In particular, fixing in a glue bed is used for elastifying means which change directions along their course, such as for example the second elastifying means, which fan out arch-shaped along their extent in the direction toward the longitudinal center axis of the incontinence article and extend at increasing distance to one another.
According to another advantageous feature of the invention, the second elastifying means can be fixed in a glue bed between chassis material layers. In this case, a laminate results in which the layers are connected over their entire surfaces. Sufficient stretching of this laminate results in a single, even flat material track which can then be joined joined woth further components without the formation of undefined pleatings as is the case when individual strands are provided with adhesive where bordering chassis material layers are only connected along the strands that are provided with adhesive. Fixing of the second elastifying means in a glue bed is therefore especially advantageous when joining the crotch section with the stomach section or the back section.
It is further advantageous, when the first elastifying means in the stomach section and/or in the back section are fixed between the chassis material layers by single-strand glue application. In the region of the first elastifying means a greater flexibility of the chassis material layers is desired, because no further laminate is formed at this location.
According to another advantageous feature of the invention, the first elastifying means in the stomach section and/or in the back section can be fixed between a body-averted chassis material layer and a body-facing chassis material layer by single-strand adhesive application and the body-facing chassis material protrudes over or overlaps the associated longitudinal end of the crotch section on the body-facing side of the crotch section. Because the body-facing chassis material layer is typically made of a soft nonwoven material, a soft, skin friendly transition to the crotch section can be achieved in longitudinal direction.
According to another advantageous feature of the invention, the crotch section includes a liquid-impermeable backsheet-material and a nonwoven topsheet-material, between which the absorption body is arranged. The backsheet-material and the nonwoven topsheet-material in a manner of speaking form the chassis of the crotch section. In a refinement of the invention, it is advantageous when the backsheet material and/or topsheet material form an overhang over the absorption body and this overhang—in total on both sides of the absorption body, i.e., in total left and right—is at least 25%, in particular 30-50%, further in particular 35-50%, further in particular 38-48%, further in particular 40-45%, of the greatest width of the crotch-section (i.e., relative to the maximal extent of the crotch section in transverse direction).
This relatively great overhang of back-sheet material and/or top sheet material on both sides of the absorption body thus means a wide crotch section with a relatively narrow absorption body. This allows providing leg-elastifying means in the crotch section, which extend along the leg openings, and have a relatively great distance to the material rich and with this bending stiff absorption body. This in turn results in a good sealing and adjustability of the borders of the leg openings on both sides of the crotch section. In this case, the material rich absorption body, which is torsion stiff relative to the thin chassis materials, only interferes with the formation of a liquid-tight leg sealing to a minor degree; forming a liquid-tight leg sealing does therefore not require extremely high tensions which in turn has a positive influence on the wearing comfort of the incontinence article.
According to another advantageous feature of the invention, the leg-elastifying means end in longitudinal direction at least 10 mm, in particular at least 20 mm, before the second elastifying means. It is particularly advantageous when the leg-elastifying means end is located in a direction before the stomach section and/or before the back section. The tension and return force exerted by the leg-elastifying means does therefore not influence the tension conditions provided according to the invention within the crotch-side region of the stomach section and the back section, which crotch-side region faces the leg openings, in which second elastifying means fan out.
Preferably, thread- or band-shaped elastifying means, such as rubber- or polyurethane or polyesterpolyurethane threads are used as leg-elastifying means, preferably elastic threads such as Lycra® threads or Spandex® threads. The leg-elastifying means preferably have a tensile strength of 300-1500 dtex, in particular of 500-1200 dtex, further in particular of 500-900 dtex.
The leg-elastifying means are preferably fixed on the chassis-forming sheath materials of the crotch section under a pre-tension of 1.5-6.0 in particular 2.5-4.5.
According to another advantageous feature of the invention, the chassis-forming materials of the stomach section and/or back section preferably can include nonwoven materials such as spunbonds, card webs or through air bonded card webs. Particularly preferably, the chassis forming material of stomach section and/or back section includes a spunbond material. The nonwoven materials that are used for the stomach section and/or back section Preferably have a mass per area of 10-30 g/m2, further preferably of 15-25 g/m2. Particularly preferably the stomach section and the back section include a spunbond, in particular made of polypropylene, in particular with a mass per area of 15-25 g/m2. Due to their flexibility, low masses per area of the chassis forming materials of stomach section and/or back section, in particular including or being made of nonwoven materials, enable particularly advantageously the formation of the visually and/or tactilely perceivable structures according to the invention.
According to another advantageous feature of the invention, the crotch section can include a liquid-impermeable backsheet-material and a nonwoven topsheet material. The backsheet material in particular includes a foil, in particular with a mass per area of 8-20 g/m2, in particular 8-16 g/m2, further in particular 8-14 g/m2. In particular, the backsheet includes a foil which in particular is micro-porous and during use liquid tight but at the same time breathable, i.e. water vapor permeable.
The absorption body includes materials that absorb bodily fluids such as natural or synthetic fibers, in particular cellulose fibers, preferably in the form of cellulose. Preferably, the absorption body also includes superabsorbent materials (SAP), in particular based on surface-cross-linked, partially neutralized polyacrylates.
The crotch section or the longitudinal borders of the crotch section, which delimit the leg openings, can be configured to have a straight or arched contour. The crotch-facing transverse borders of stomach section and back section, which also delimit the leg openings, are advantageously configured to have an arched contour.